17 schools in Tema operates shift system

Tema, Sept 09, GNA - Seventeen public basic schools in the Tema Metropolis still run the shift system.

Mr Isaac Ashai Odamtten, Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive, disclosed this to journalists after visiting some schools in the Metropolis to welcome new pupils to school during the observation of 'My First Day at School".

Mr Odamtten indicated that the Tema Metropolitan Assembly was aware that 17 out of the 87 public basic schools in the Metropolis still ran the shift system due to lack of adequate infrastructure especially classrooms and furniture.

He noted that most of those schools have either 20 to 24 or 30 to 40 pupils per every shift stating that it meant there was the need to increase the number of classrooms and rearrange the pupils.

He said his outfit would by June 2016, complete the six major classrooms projects being constructed in the Metropolis which would go a long way to reduce the number of schools engaged in the shift system.

The MCE states that some of the project had six classrooms, 12 classrooms and 18 classrooms, adding that, it was the aim of the Assembly to raise education in Tema to international standards.

Mr Odamtten thanked the teachers of the Republic Road 1 & 2 Schools for using the 'My First Day at School' to bring to the fore the numerous challenges facing the school especially the shift system it was running.

He gave the assurance that the School would benefit from the second phase of the Industrial Basic School project since it has enough land for the construction of more classrooms and recreational facilities.

Mrs Veronica Adjato-Ntem, Tema Metropolitan Educational Director, who accompanied the MCE to welcome the pupils to school, lamented that the shift system was not the best for the pupils.

Mrs Adjato-Ntem therefore pleaded with the TMA to hasten in providing the needed classrooms for the 17 schools operating the shift system.

GNA